Three years. That’s how long I’ve been working on this story, first with weekly, then monthly updates as I approached the end. With the exception of a couple short, announced breaks after the first two years, I never missed an update.
I’m glad I finished it. Phew! This story means a lot to me in many different ways. It was not only surprisingly successful; Anathema was in the top 15 on TWF for years and years, and garnered over 350K total views – in a way, this story is also the diary of my personal growth as a writer. Some of you might remember that the early versions of my initial chapters were barely readable. XD
Now that the serial is complete, I’ll start work on Gifted by Light, a standalone novel in the Anathema universe with a new story and a new cast of characters. I’m going to finish editing the book before I turn it into a web serial and put the whole novel on Amazon.
If you’re interested in future books and / or serials by me, click the follow button on my blog or consider subscribing to my personal email list, where I’ll announce new releases of any kind. Note: in order to be added to the list, you’ll have confirm the sign-up in the email you’ll receive after signing up on the site. If you don’t see the email, please check your spam folder!
Sign up here: http://oliviarising.com/list
Thanks for making this long, scary and awesome journey with me. Without all of your support and comments, I probably wouldn’t have found the energy to keep editing and keep going after the first 2 or so years when story weariness really started to set in.
Super special thanks to my Patreon supporters! You guys will keep receiving free advance versions of any new books before anyone else does. ❤
Anathema 
I can’t believe it’s over. I keep telling myself it’s not real, but I can’t quite believe it. Thank you for this rollercoaster of a ride, and I look forward to any interaction in the future.
Name is a typo, should be Jordan.
Congratulations!
It doesn’t seem like it has really been years since I first read the draft. Your progress has been amazing, and I’m glad I was here to see it all.
Wherever you go in the future, you have people who will follow. Thanks for leading us on this grand adventure, and I am sure the next one will be just as good.
Oh my god, you were one of the first 4 or so people who read my early drafts long before I even got the serial website up and running. The fact that you read all the way to the end means so much. ❤
I'm glad I did this. It really feels like I've grown soooo much as a writer since then.
Thank you Chrysalis. It’s a beautiful work. Best of wishes with your future projects! 🙂 Sorry I got so…emphatic, about the Emily-character’s fate. It’s just that sci-fi and fantasy seem to be getting darker and darker as the years wear on. It’s a fine line to navigate, and difficult to articulate to boot, but as a reader I know when, for me, it gets crossed. This ending…it works, it works beautifully.
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it. 🙂
Whew! What a colossal work of art you’ve given birth to! This story grabbed my attention after I finished WORM, and its kept me astonished and emotionally invested in it’s plot, characters and wonderful writing ever since.
I haven’t commented on any of the previous chapters… mostly because I didn’t want to take precious reading time away from following chapters, but now that it’s reached an ending point I can relax a bit and try to express my admiration for your skills and my gratitude for such a wonderful tale.
Yes, I cheered when the heroes succeeded and cried when they failed and I felt that there would be no denoument for most, if not all, of them. I’m glad I stuck with it and again I thank you for such a riveting tale and for presenting it in the form you chose to allow us to enjoy it.
I am a writer myself, albeit strictly on the internet, although I do have one book to my credit and I know what it is like to go through the process of trying to keep one’s focus and present a believable and logical dialog so as to keep the readers interested enough to reach the end. You did all that and more.
I’ll be watching for more from you and I know I won’t be disappointed with what comes next.
Catherine Linda Michel Top Shelf writer and editor/proofer/spelling maven.
Wow! Thanks for the warm fuzzy feels. I hope you’ll check out my future works. 🙂
Wheew… the end of the story hits right in the feels… at least I feel that way. Thanks for writing this amazing story, best of luck for your future projects 🙂
It has been a good run and I look forward to your future works! Keep up the good fight!
So I just checked my followed list, and saw this. Figured I’d check if there was anything new. The link isn’t going to a website, has there been something new started/released?
Hey Jordan! Just when I was thinking no one was ever going to comment anymore… 🙂 Yes, there are news! The cover for Gift of Light is done and the release is scheduled for July. I’ll do the serial 3 months after the initial ebook launch. There will be a sample chapter, too… I’ve just been too busy finishing the book to update the blog at all. I really should, though… anyway, thanks for checking in. ❤
Cover link: http://i65.tinypic.com/2cfrz2b.jpg
Whew! I just binged the entire thing in 3 days.
I dunno how I feel about the ending though. I have this crazy theory Sarina is keeping all powers and the world suppressed. If and when she dies, it won’t revert back to it’s original state, but technology and powers might be possible(?).
Also, looking at Nora’s son, did the powers(or the shadow of the powers) just become inheritable? A book in the far future would be interesting if it’s anything like how I predicted.
I think I am going to be hit with withdrawal soon. It’s just what happens when you binge this fast.
Thank you making this amazing read possible. But, I would recommend editing the last arc; The introspection where characters are just thinking throughout. Something feels off about those chapters.
Woohoo, a comment! It’s been a while since the last one, so thank you 🙂 I won’t comment on the ending – I’d really like to allow everyone to draw their own conclusions. But yes, powers (much more minor than before) have become inheritable. I’ll leave it to you to imagine what descendants of Chris + Rune might be like… 🙂 I was super burned out during the last couple arcs, sorry about that 😦 I’ll definitely edit everything before I publish the entire serial in ebook form. I hope you’ll stick around to read Gift of Light, too!